If you’ve been in a car accident, even years ago, you might still be haunted by the lingering effects. Old car accident injuries can leave behind chronic pain that flares up unexpectedly, limits your mobility, and effects your overall quality of life. While pain medications may offer temporary relief, they don’t treat the underlying issues. 

Chiropractic care, on the other hand, focuses on long-term healing by addressing the root cause of your discomfort. In this blog, we’ll discuss how chiropractic care can help you manage chronic pain stemming from old car accident injuries and help you reclaim comfort and control over your health. 

Why Old Car Accident Injuries Still Hurt

Car accidents can cause a wide range of injuries, from whiplash and spinal misalignments to soft tissue damage and herniated discs. Even if you walked away from the accident thinking you were fine, it’s not uncommon for symptoms to show up days, weeks, or even years later. Over time, untreated injuries can lead to:

• Chronic inflammation
• Scar tissue buildup
• Compensatory movement 
• Degenerative disc issues
• Limited mobility or stiffness

Common Types of Chronic Pain After a Car Accident

Chronic pain from an old car accident can show up in a variety of ways, including: 

• Whiplash symtpoms like neck stiffness, headaches, and jaw pain. 
• Lower back pain that radiates down into the legs, similar to sciatica. 
• Shoulder pain from seatbelt trauma and muscle strains. 
• Numbness or tingling caused by nerve compression. 
• Ongoing migraines ties to spinal misalignment. 

The pain you experience after a car accident is often musculoskeletal, meaning they involve bones, joints, and soft tissue, making a chiropractor your perfect option for finding relief. 

How Chiropractic Care Addresses Chronic Pain

Chiropractic care is a non-invasive approach to healing. Rather than masking symptoms with medication, your chiropractor will try to address the root cause of your pain. With their care, they aim to restore alignment, improve mobility, and reduce nerve irritation. They do this through several different treatment options, including: 

Spinal Adjustment

Misalignments in the spine can place pressure on surrounding nerves and tissue, leading to chronic discomfort. If you experienced whiplash during your car accident, spinal misalignment may follow, plaguing you with increased pain. Gentle chiropractic adjustments realign the spine, relieving the pressure you’re experiencing and restoring proper function to the nervous system. If you experienced a back injury following your car accident, adjustments are a great way to begin finding lasting pain relief. 

Soft Tissue Therapy

As a natural part of the healing process, your body may develop scar tissue. If you experience whiplash, you may have minor tears in your muscles and ligaments. As they heal, this scar tissue will form. To help you recover from scar tissue development from old car accident injuries, your chiropractor will incorporate massage therapy, trigger point therapy, or myofascial release. This treatment with break up scar tissue and easy muscle tension. 

Rehabilitation Exercises

In addition to their in-office treatment options, your chiropractor may provide stretching and strengthening exercises. Many patients will experience changes in their posture and overall muscle weakness following an accident. By incorporating these exercises into your treatment plan, your chiropractor with correct postural imbalances and rebuild weakened muscles, promoting long-term relief. If you’re plagued by discomfort from old car accident injuries, this is the best way to support your in-office treatment and find relief. 

Postural and Lifestyle Guidance

While the treatment you get in office is a great way to begin treating old car accident injuries, it isn’t the only way to promote long-term healing. Your chiropractic team may also provide tips on adjusting your posture, ergonomic work habits, sleep positioning, and more. Even the smallest postural and lifestyle problems can result in significant worsening of your symptoms. Trust that your chiropractic team is providing quality suggestions and that, with their support, you can find the relief you’ve been looking for. 

Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Chronic Accident Injuries

Chiropractic care is a great way to address any discomfort you’re experiencing. From minor aches and pains to lingering discomfort, chiropractic care is your key to finding lasting relief. There are many benefits to scheduling an appointment with a trusted chiropractor, especially if you’re dealing with old car accident injuries, including: 

• Drug-free pain relief
• Improved mobility and flexibility
• Better posture 
• Reduced inflammation and muscle tension
• Enhanced quality of life

By restoring alignment and reducing strain, chiropractic care allows your body to begin healing naturally without the risks or side effects of medication and surgery. If your chronic pain has exhausted you, a chiropractor may be your best chocie for finding lasting relief. 

When to See a Chiropractor

Old car accident injuries may plague your day-to-day life, but you may still be on the fence about seeking professional care. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, scheduling an appointmnet with a reliable chiropractor may be the right step for you: 

• Ongoing neck, back, and joint pain
• Pain that worsens with movement or time
• Numbness, tingingling, or weakness
• Headaches or migraines
• Limited range of motion

Even if an injury occured years ago, it is never too late to start addressing the damage. A reliable chiropractor will perform a thorough assessment, discuss your old car accident injuries with you, and develop a custom treatment plan to help you move forward and leave this chronic discomfort behind. 

Relief from Chronic Pain in Tooele County

Living with chronic pain from old car accident injuries can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. Chiropractic care offers a safe, effective, and personalized way to address the root of your discomfort and help you get back to doing what you love most. If you’re looking for a chiropractic team in Tooele County, turn to Muscle and Joint for support.

For years, we have provided the most reliable chiropractic care to patients from all around the area. Whether they’re dealing with minor discomfort or complications from old car accident injuries, our expert training and experience makes us the best choice for your recovery. With our team on your side, you can trust that relief is within reach.

If you’d like to schedule an appointment with our team or have any questions about our services, don’t hesitate to contact us today.  

Back pain can make it difficult to perform everyday activities. Whether you’re incredibly physically active or struggling to sit through your work shift, this pain can become debilitating. As pain progresses, you may wonder whether you have sciatica or lower back pain. Understanding the difference between the two is essential to ensure proper treatment. 

If you want to learn more about sciatica and lower back pain and how to identify which condition you’re experiencing, keep reading. 

Understanding Lower Back Pain

Your lower back plays a major role in supporting your body. It acts as the stable base for your spine, supports much of your body weight, and helps you balance. With so many muscles and ligaments moving through your lower back, it allows you to walk, run, sit, and move throughout your everyday activities. 

There are many reasons why you may have lower back pain, including improper lifting, menstruation, pregnancy, herniated discs, and strains. Strains are the most common reason why someone may experience lower back pain. However, car accidents, impacts during contact sports, and genetic conditions can also cause this discomfort. 

While some lower back pain may go away on its own, it is best to reach out to a medical provider for support if the pain lasts longer than a week, becomes more severe, or leads to numbness and weakness. With care from a doctor or chiropractor, you can identify the root cause of this pain and ensure you begin healing. 

Symptoms of Lower Back Pain

If you’re experiencing lower back pain, there are a few symptoms you may experience, including: 

• Aches and pains in your lower back that don’t extend beyond your back
• Stiffness that makes it difficult to straighten your back
• Worsening posture
• Painful, uncontrollable muscle spasms

Understanding Sciatica

Your sciatic nerve is located in your lower back and runs down the back of both legs. It is the largest nerve in your body and is responsible for motor control in your lower legs, allowing you to walk, run, and jump. Unlike lower back pain, which has a variety of causes, sciatica is a direct result of the compression of your sciatic nerve. 

There are a few reasons why you may have sciatica. Some genetic conditions may be the main reason why you have sciatica. However, if you’re experiencing spinal disc injuries, like herniation or degenerative disc disease, you may also experience this pain. Additionally, it isn’t uncommon to have sciatica during pregnancy. 

Unlike lower back pain, this condition takes several weeks to remedy. For some people, it may go away in about a month. However, if you notice symptoms worsening, it is essential that you reach out to a medical provider for support. They can provide you with exercises and support to help relieve nerve pain. 

Symptoms of Sciatica

If you have sciatica, there are a few symptoms you may experience, including: 

• A burning pain from your lower back that runs through your legs
• A tingling sensation that feels similar to your legs falling asleep
• Numbness in the affected areas
• Muscle weakness as the pain persists 

Do You Have Sciatica or Lower Back Pain? 

While it may seem difficult to determine if you have sciatica or lower back pain, there is one incredibly easy way to distinguish between the two. Because sciatica is a result of the compression of the sciatic nerve, anyone with this condition will experience a radiating pain that begins in your lower back and spreads down the back of your legs. 

Lower back pain, on the other hand, is contained in the muscles and nerves located in your lower back. Additionally, lower back pain typically only feels like an ache. If you notice the pain spreading through your back and into your legs, it is likely that you aren’t experiencing lower back pain and instead have sciatica. 

How Your Chiropractor Can Help With Sciatica and Back Pain

If you have sciatica or lower back pain, your chiropractor is the perfect partner to help you begin treating this discomfort. There are a few ways your chiropractor can help you address each condition, including: 

• Spinal Adjustments: Using manual adjustments, your chiropractor will restore alignment and relieve pressure on the nerves that caused your discomfort. 
• Decompression Therapy: Your chiropractor may recommend decompression therapy to create negative pressure on your spinal discs and alleviate pain.
• Soft Tissue Therapy: With chiropractic massage or stretching, your team will address tension and spasms contributing to your back pain and sciatica. 
• Lifestyle Modifications: Your team may make lifestyle modification suggestions, like an ergonomic work setup and increased physical activity to aid recovery. 
• At-Home Exercises: They may prescribe at-home exercises to strengthen and support your back to reduce your risk of future injuries. 

Treating All Back Pain in Tooele County

Whether you have sciatica or back pain, working with an expert chiropractor can help you get on the road to recovery. If you’re looking for a reliable chiropractic team in the Tooele County area, turn to our Muscle & Joint Chiropractic team. For years, we’ve provided patients across Tooele and Grantsville with the most comprehensive chiropractic treatment. With our experience, you can trust that we’ll help you find the back pain relief you deserve. 

If you want to learn more about how we can help you if you have sciatica or lower back pain or schedule an appointment, don’t hesitate to contact us today. 

As people become increasingly distracted while driving, fender benders seem to become more and more common. Whether you’re in a minor or major accident, they can result in a variety of painful auto injuries. If you’re in a minor accident, you may consider taking a few days off to recover from these accidents. 

However, choosing to forego medical attention can lead to worsening symptoms, even when you think you’re fine. One service you should consider scheduling after getting into an accident is an appointment with your chiropractor. Expert chiropractors are trained to address a variety of auto injuries, ensuring you can comfortably return to everyday activities. 

If you want to learn more about the benefits of scheduling an appointment with your chiropractor and what auto injuries they can treat, keep reading. 

The Importance of Chiropractic Care After a Car Accident

Many patients turn to their chiropractor for support if they’re hurt performing everyday activities, while working out, or during pregnancy. However, chiropractic care is especially important for individuals who have recently been in a car accident. Many auto injuries start minor and may be difficult to spot until they result in a major loss of mobility and flexibility. 

When you visit a chiropractor following an auto accident, you allow them to catch the smallest injuries before they lead to major discomfort. It isn’t uncommon for people in accidents to develop symptoms weeks after the accident. By going to the chiropractor, even before the symptoms present themselves, you can prevent discomfort from occurring. 

Even if you think you’re feeling fine after your accident, working with a chiropractic professional is always beneficial to your health. With their support, you can heal the smallest injuries and potentially catch other problems you may have otherwise overlooked. Don’t set aside this essential care. It can make a major difference in your everyday life. 

Auto Injuries Your Chiropractor Treats

1. Whiplash

One of the most common auto injuries chiropractors can help patients address is whiplash. This injury occurs when your neck experiences substantial force or pressure, like during a collision. You may experience neck stiffness, dizziness, headaches, and memory problems with whiplash. When you schedule care with a chiropractor, they can perform adjustments to realign your spine and relieve any lingering discomfort and inflammation without the use of pain medications. 

2. Concussion

With the strong force of a car accident and sudden impact on your head, it isn’t uncommon for people to develop a concussion. This may leave you with chronic headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and vomiting if left untreated. When you visit a chiropractor for your concussion, they will ensure spinal alignment, which is incredibly beneficial for your vestibular system. They will also help you improve neck mobility if you’re experiencing stiffness. 

3. Back and Shoulder Pain

While this might not come as a surprise, visiting a chiropractor for back and shoulder pain after a car accident is a great way to relieve symptoms. They can perform adjustments to ensure your spine is moving correctly while protecting its natural curve. Additionally, they may offer lifestyle modifications and strengthening exercises to perform in the office and at home to help support your back as you move through your recovery. 

4. Herniated Discs

The sudden force of a car accident may cause your spinal discs to push through cracks in the outer layer of your spine, leading to significant nerve pain. To help patients address this injury, chiropractors may offer a variety of treatments, including spinal decompression and soft tissue therapy. These treatments aim to alleviate the pressure on surrounding nerves, helping you reduce discomfort and restore lost mobility and flexibility. 

5. Headaches

If you’ve developed headaches after a car accident, your chiropractor can help you not only reduce their frequency but also identify the root cause. In some cases, headaches may indicate an additional, unknown injury. Their spinal adjustments and soft tissue therapies help alleviate tension in the muscles of your neck and shoulders, which may be the cause of these headaches. With their support, you can avoid using pain medications to treat your discomfort. 

How Soon After an Accident Should You Schedule Your Appointment? 

If you’re experiencing auto injuries, you should reach out to a medical professional as soon as possible for a physical examination. After you’ve seen your primary care provider or an emergency room doctor, you should reach out to your trusted chiropractic team to schedule an exam, X-rays, or adjustment. 

The sooner you reach out to a trusted professional after developing auto injuries, the less likely you are to develop further complications. While you might feel fine following your accident, it is still best to reach out to a professional for a physical exam. They may be able to identify potential problems before they linger and become much worse. 

Expert Care for Your Auto Injuries in Tooele County

When you’ve been in an accident, it is essential that you reach out to trusted chiropractic professionals for support. The longer you put off treatment, the worse symptoms can become. In some cases, postponing proper treatment can lead to the development of chronic pain and physical disabilities. If you’re looking for a reliable chiropractic team in the Tooele County area to help you treat auto injuries, turn to Muscle & Joint Chiropractic for support. With years of experience helping patients restore range of motion and alleviate pain, we’re confident we can do the same for you. 

If you’d like to learn more about our chiropractic treatments and how we can help you recover from your auto injuries, don’t hesitate to contact us today.